To Come to Terms
by MoonShadow269
Summary: Accompanying piece to "Twilight and Dusk". Yellowfang has always found it hard to come to terms with Starreign and its Council. It always seemed cruel to her when they could decide when one life could be sacrificed for another, and when someone had to die in order for someone else to live. To make matters worse, she was one of the sacrificial pawns.


Hello Everyone!

It's been a while since **Twilight and Dusk** was finished, and I'm pleased to give you this new side-story as a companion fic! To all those who clicked on this who haven't already read **Twilight and Dusk** , there are spoilers because this is an accompanying piece that references a lot of the ideas explored in the original fic.

This snippet doesn't exactly include pairings, although some are mentioned, and really tries to explore Yellowfang's character and her relationship with Cinderpelt. Yellowfang may feel OOC, but I feel like we don't really see a lot of things from Yellowfang's perspective and this just gives her a more human vibe (in my opinion. You're allowed to disagree).

NOTE: If none of you have read the Warriors Super-Edition about Yellowfang, Sagewhisker (medicine cat) is Yellowfang's mentor and Brackenfoot is her father. I do have to say that I am guilty of not actually reading that book (I don't have time!), but I did do some research on them so I hope my interpretation of them is not too far fetched.

I DO NOT OWN WARRIOR CATS.

Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this short fic. Please read, review, and share it with your friends!

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Third Person – Yellowfang

Yellowfang couldn't _breathe_. It was as if someone had wrapped a hand around her lungs and was determined to force every bit of air out of her. She could only stare as a young, white-faced teenager was carried into her office and laid on her examination table. Misty-eyed and panicked, Firestar grabbed her around the shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Can you _fix_ her?" His hands shook as he spoke and Yellowfang quickly snapped out of her daze.

"I can't promise anything," she said. The color drained from his face and he released her, staggering backward. "But rest assured, Firestar, she will not die tonight."

"How can you be sure?" he whispered, staring wide-eyed at the table behind Yellowfang.

Her lips thinned and she pushed him toward the door. "Out. If you want me to save her—rather, what's left of her—then you'll leave me to work." Firestar balked at her words, but was quickly pulled away by an ashen-faced Graystripe when he tried to reenter the room. Brackenfur stood by the doorway, his amber eyes wide and watery. Yellowfang fixed him with a stern look, but felt her heart soften when he peered nervously into the room. "She'll be all right, Brackenfur," Yellowfang soothed. "Starreign is with her."

The amber-eyed teenager looked only partially relieved at her words, and she gave him a quick squeeze on the shoulder before addressing a passing servant. "Contact Zephyra's temporary physician," she said. "And send someone out to fetch Squirreltail from Terrum as soon as you can. If it's possible, send someone else to Gustil and ask for Mudpelt. Just tell them that Yellowfang needs them as soon as possible."

The servant bowed and quickly hurried down the nearest flight of stairs. Yellowfang nudged Brackenfur and he gave her another wide-eyed look. "You're helping no one by standing here. Tell the cook to prepare some milk with honey for everyone and try to get some rest." She cocked an eyebrow when he hesitated and relaxed when the brunet scurried down the corridor. Exhaling a sigh of relief, she closed the door behind her and turned her attention to the girl on her examination table.

A wave of bitter nostalgia washed over her as Yellowfang took in the girl's smoky gray hair and slender neck. It had been so long since she had seen her; the last time they crossed paths was at the teenager's birth, when Yellowfang all but demanded to deliver her. Yellowfang's lips curled into a tender smile as she brushed the girl's cheek with the crook of a gentle finger. A fire still burned in the pit of her stomach, but she'd deal with it later, after seeing to her patient, of course.

The door opened again just as Yellowfang cut away her patient's pants and boots. The golden-eyed doctor opened her mouth to deliver a stinging complaint when she realized who had stepped into the room. She closed her mouth and began to peel the bloodied breeches off her patient.

"How is she?" Bluestar stood at the head of the examination table, her blue eyes stormy.

"She'll be fine," Yellowfang said casually, although a feeling of dread settled over her at the sight of the teenager's mangled leg. It was worse than she had initially thought, but it was nothing she wasn't capable of pulling off. An invisible warmth settled against her shoulder, as if someone had placed a reassuring hand on her. "Starreign will guide her through."

"They say something spooked her horse," Bluestar said, watching Yellowfang tug the remnants of her patient's boots off her feet. "It crushed her leg after it threw her off. 'An accident', they said."

"Oh, of course," Yellowfang snorted, unwrapping a bundle of surgical tools. "Like having your leg snapped for the second time in a row is considered an _accident_." She cursed and stared at the clock—she needed to operate as soon as possible to reduce the chances of infection, but it would be at least two hours before Terrum's or Gustil's doctors would arrive. A small part of her wished that she kept an apprentice, but then she remembered just how incompetent her subordinates could be.

Bluestar shifted and crossed her arms. "I sent for Lilystone's doctors as well," she said slowly. "They should arrive in twenty minutes or so."

Yellowfang, who had decided to focus on producing a strong anesthetic, relaxed ever-so-slightly before continuing to grind herbs into a paste. "Thank Starreign," she breathed. "At this point, I just hope they'll be willing to listen." She honestly preferred house doctors over the physicians and doctors that haunted cities and large towns, but there was little to complain about. Bacteria and other unsanitary materials could've gotten into her patient's bloodstream when her bones splintered, and her first priority was to set the leg. "I'd even ask you to help out, if you had any background in medicine, that is."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you," Bluestar replied, wincing when Yellowfang began to pluck debris from the teenager's leg. "But for this to happen to Cinderpelt a second time…it makes me wonder whether Starreign intentionally caused this incident."

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed as she wiped down her patient's leg. It was rare for anyone who wasn't a mediator doctor to be in such close contact with Starreign and to have access to the memories of their past lives. Bluestar had explained that Starreign wanted her to guide Firestar like she had back in the forest, but it didn't make sense why she had to regain _all_ of her memories. Regardless of how little sense Starreign's choice made, Yellowfang was inwardly thankful that there was someone she could speak to regarding the parallels between this life and the past.

"I'm sure this 'incident' was as premediated as Spottedleaf's death," Yellowfang said coldly, cutting off the rest of Cinderpelt's pants. Bluestar stiffened at her words, but the golden-eyed doctor continued. "Starreign is just as interventionist as it was in the forest; the only difference is that now it doesn't have as many bullshit rules as it used to."

"Starreign has its reasons for doing these things," Bluestar started, but Yellowfang cut her off.

"I know that," the doctor snapped. She paused, staring forlornly at Cinderpelt's ashen face. "I just…I just didn't want this to happen to her again. She was so devastated in the forest when she realized that the only two choices she had in life were to become a medicine cat or an invalid." Yellowfang's throat tightened as she steadied herself against the table. "She can have a family now, but she'll have to live as a cripple again. She'll have to live as a cripple for _the rest of her life_ , Bluestar. This won't be for a decade, or for a few years—this will be for half a century—if not a full century if she's lucky to live that long."

Bluestar's voice was gentle when she spoke. "Your love for Cinderpelt is unquestionable, Yellowfang." A wry smile twisted her lips when Yellowfang looked up at her. "I would even go as far as to say that you are more upset about her injury than your son's betrayal."

"He was a rotten egg from the start," Yellowfang snipped, tearing her eyes away. "Cinderpelt was like a daughter to me. We bickered and fought, but she became a constant in my life." She hesitated and a bitter expression crossed her face. "It's funny, really. I thought I would never love anyone as much as I loved Raggedstar, but Firestar and Cinderpelt have proven me wrong—twice now." She barked out a bitter laugh. "I can live without my husband, but just the thought of seeing those two gone from my life…unbelievable."

A knowing smile crossed Bluestar's face. Before she could speak, however, there was a knock on the door and a panting doctor entered the room seconds later. Yellowfang's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight of a disheveled Mudpelt staggering over to the examination table. "You lucked out, Yellowfang," she wheezed, throwing her back to the side and eying Cinderpelt's leg wearily. "Your messenger managed to catch me just as I was leaving Lilystone. Lucky bastard recognized the house crest."

"Believe me, I am more than thankful that Bluestar was insistent enough on hiring competent staff members," Yellowfang replied dryly, pushing over her set of surgical tools. She pulled another bundle from a nearby cabinet. "Her tibia shattered and her fibula is snapped. She may have also received some damage to her knee joint and her femur."

"Well, let's just hope she doesn't bleed out before we can get to her," Mudpelt said, spreading Yellowfang's anesthetic paste over Cinderpelt's mutilated leg. The pale-faced teenager flinched but didn't make a sound. Mudpelt quickly wiped off her hands and ambled over to the head of the table before checking Cinderpelt's eyes. "She seems to be holding on in the meantime. This is going to get pretty messy," Mudpelt told Bluestar. "Do you want to step out?"

"I trust that both of you will take care of her," Bluestar replied with a mildly uncomfortable glance at Cinderpelt's leg. "Her brother is likely tearing his hair out from worry and I need to restrain him in case he decides to become your next patient for the day. Yellowfang, I'll be sure to send more doctors your way if they come looking for me." She nodded politely to the two doctors before slipping out of the room.

"So, riding accident?" Mudpelt asked, nodding at Cinderpelt's leg.

"Something spooked her horse and it stepped on her when she fell off," Yellowfang said, pinching the skin around the teenager's knee. Cinderpelt had almost no reaction it, so Yellowfang and Mudpelt took up their scalpels and began their operation.

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Third Person – Bluestar

As she had anticipated, Brackenfur was a mess when she made her way into Herobexy den. He tried to regain his composure when he saw her, but his puffy eyelids gave him away. Firestar was in even worse shape. He was sitting on a loveseat, face buried in his hands as Graystripe ran a comforting hand down his back. The amber-eyed aristocrat looked in Brackenfur's direction every so often, but kept his attention focused on Firestar.

Brightheart, who was dabbing at her tears and trying to keep from sniffling, crossed the room to meet Bluestar. "How is she?" the blue-eyed girl asked hesitantly. Firestar raised his head at Brightheart's words and gazed at Bluestar with watery eyes.

"Yellowfang and Mudpelt are tending to her right now," Bluestar said soothingly. "Although it is uncertain whether or not she will be able to walk normally after this…incident," she murmured, "Yellowfang is certain that she will survive."

"Great Starreign." Firestar's face paled and he covered it with his hands. "This is my fault; I should've have taken her riding today. I shouldn't have said yes."

"Don't say that!" Graystripe scolded. "It was an accident!"

"I still should've said no!" Firestar snapped. He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "I must be cursed or something," he seethed, rising to his feet. "First Spottedleaf, then Cinderpelt…" He paced the room, muttering under his breath. Brightheart looked like she wanted to disagree with Firestar, but she kept glancing at Brackenfur, who started shaking like a leaf. Bluestar couldn't determine whether or not he was going to lash out at Firestar and quickly intervened.

"The person who is at fault is whoever scared Cinderpelt's horse in the first place," she said firmly. "Graystripe, was anyone riding in front of Cinderpelt before she fell?"

"No, she was in the very front," the amber-eyed aristocrat replied. "All of a sudden, her horse bucked and she was thrown off. The next thing we knew, Cinderpelt was trampled and her horse was running for the stables."

"Then no one here is at fault," Bluestar said. "Cinderpelt is in very good hands, and I trust Yellowfang with my life." She paused for a second, drinking in the shaken expression on Brackenfur's face. "Cinderpelt will not die from her injuries. Starreign will see to that."

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Third Person – Yellowfang

" _About time," Yellowfang snarled when a cat emerged from the reeds. Nearly two weeks had passed since Cinderpelt's operation and no one had tried to visit Yellowfang in her dreams. "I was starting to think that Starreign was scared of me."_

 _The white she-cat's eyes twinkled with amusement as she stepped closer to Yellowfang. "Only you would think Starreign is scared of you," she purred, leaning forward to press her nose to the golden-eyed cat. Yellowfang grunted, but relaxed when the white she-cat rubbed their cheeks together._

" _If not Starreign than the ancient crones that make up its council," Yellowfang sniped. She blinked calmly at the snowy cat before her. "If they felt like they had to send you to appease me, then they're definitely scared."_

" _Are you implying that I didn't volunteer to meet you?" The blue-eyed she-cat sat down and curled her tail over her paws. "How cruel, Yellowfang. Maybe your decrepit mentor just wanted to see you again," she teased._

" _I'm flattered, Sagewhisker. As your favorite student, I suppose I can excuse Starreign's council for their cowardliness this time." Yellowfang's tone was sardonic, but her heart warmed at the sight of her former teacher. But regardless of how appreciated their reunion was, Yellowfang had come to question Starreign's intentions._

 _Sagewhisker's amusement faded away when she studied the firm look on Yellowfang's face. "All jokes aside," the blue-eyed she-cat murmured. "You came here for something."_

" _I only come when I have something to ask," Yellowfang said. "I was hoping to speak with one of Starreign's crones so I wouldn't have to watch my tone, but it looks like they were anticipating that."_

 _The snowy she-cat cocked her head to the side. "They did send me in hopes of appeasing you," Sagewhisker admitted. "But I didn't lie when I said I wanted to see you again." Her eyes hardened. "But they don't seem to understand that you will speak your mind regardless to whom you are speaking to. In that way, they underestimate you, and because of that, they will begin to fear you."_

" _What, they're not going to drag the rug out from underneath me and toss me off the cliff like Spottedleaf?" Yellowfang asked dryly._

" _Spottedleaf resisted her calling," Sagewhisker said slowly. "And even if the Council wanted to remove you, they would be unable to. Starreign cannot control the Earth or the forces that be. You are destined for greatness, Yellowfang, a greatness that cannot be soiled or tarnished by whatever tricks the Council tries to play." There was a proud, fierce glint in her blue eyes as she gazed at Yellowfang. "They will try to break you, Yellowfang," she warned. "But you have allies in Starreign, and they will never abandon you."_

 _Yellowfang leaned forward and pressed their noses together. "Thank you, Sagewhisker," she murmured. "But I'm not here for me. I need to know why they broke Cinderpelt's leg. I will accept that it was an accident back in the forest, but I know it was deliberate this time."_

" _It was for the similar reason that they took Spottedleaf's life away," Sagewhisker said. "Spottedleaf was interfering with Firestar's legacy. Truthfully, it was cruel for them to return her past memories and make her a mediator, but the current Council is hell-bent on revenge. They weren't pleased to learn that Firestar and Spottedleaf were planning to stay together once he left to join Starclan, and they decided that this was the best way of punishing her."_

" _But Cinderpelt isn't interfering with Firestar," Yellowfang protested. "Yes, I know she has a crush on him, but Firestar's already married to Sandstorm and Cinderpelt is too young to start a solid relationship."_

" _But if Cinderpelt never received her injuries, she would never become Leafpool's teacher," Sagewhisker shot back. "Spottedleaf's marriage to Firestar would've corrupted his entire legacy—his entire family line. There would be no Leafpool, or Squirrelflight, or any of the prophesized grandchildren who were originally born to him."_

" _But why should those prophecies matter?" Yellowfang hissed. "The forest is no longer our home. There should be no more prophecies for us to follow!"_

" _There are always prophecies to be followed," Sagewhisker said. "Cinderpelt's entire destiny changed the moment she was crippled in the forest. As harsh of a reality as it is, Sandstorm is already carrying Squirrelflight and Leafpool in her womb. Cinderpelt's death was a monumental moment in Leafpool's life, and it drove her to make decisions that resulted in many deaths that could have otherwise been avoided. Starreign wishes to avoid that disaster."_

" _Then why kill of Spottedleaf?" Yellowfang snapped. "If Spottedleaf married Firestar, all of this could've been avoided."_

 _Sagewhisker fixed Yellowfang with the coldest stare she had ever seen. "I have never imagined you to be so selfish," she whispered. "Yes, I know the love you carry for Cinderpelt is that of a mother's, but to wish death on so many people…Even love has its boundaries, Yellowfang, and there are many that should never be crossed."_

" _There would be more lives saved in the end if Leafpool didn't—"_

" _Many more lives would be saved in the end if Leafpool_ did _exist, Yellowfang. How many people do you think she will save over the course of her lifetime? She is a prodigy among prodigies—a doctor among doctors. Those who she cannot heal with her practice she will save with her love." Sagewhisker's face twisted into a snarl. "You are still too young understand the importance of Leafpool's life," she hissed. "Cinderpelt will find her happiness, but it will only be achieved if she herself pursues it."_

" _Starreign already took her happiness away," Yellowfang spat. "There is_ nothing _for her to pursue."_

" _Not even the life of a doctor?" Sagewhisker's eyes blazed. "There is danger that lurks on the horizon, Yellowfang," she growled. "Either Cinderpelt lives her life, free of disabilities, and dies under the blade of a sword, or she lives as a crippled doctor who saves countless of lives." Yellowfang stiffened at Sagewhisker's words, but the white she-cat was already stalking away. "Even as you are destined for greatness, Yellowfang, not even the Earth will forgive you if you stand in its way. You will be eliminated if you refuse to see beyond your love for Cinderpelt and choose loathe Leafpool for the rest of your life. Rest assured," Sagewhisker snarled before disappearing into the reeds. "Life is not kind to those who do not see."_

#######################################################

Yellowfang seethed as she watched Graystripe and Firestar lead Cinderpelt through another set of stretches. She couldn't believe how selfish Starreign was being—trading one life for another? Yes, Cinderpelt had loved Leafpool dearly in their past lives, but Yellowfang wanted Cinderpelt to live a different life, to live a life where she could exist without inhibitions. She wanted Cinderpelt to stand proudly on two feet and to be able to run and fight and do everything she couldn't do in her past life. Why couldn't Sagewhisker understand that?

Starreign did not visit her for the next few days, and Yellowfang grew more and more agitated as time went on. She snapped at everyone—servants, Bluestar, other aristocrats, and even sent Graystripe into tears when she brought up his deceased wife. Before long, everyone was scared to approach her, even Firestar, who had originally considered her as something akin to a mother. She ignored all of them, and even thought of defying Bluestar when the Head of Herobexy demanded to have a private conversation with her.

As the days continued to wear on, Yellowfang took to pacing at night. Starreign's absence was beginning to drive her insane, and her temper had grown so short that she had lashed out at Cinderpelt when the blue-eyed teenager offered to help her sort herbs. The hurt expression on Cinderpelt's face haunted her for the next few nights, until finally, Yellowfang stopped, looked in the mirror, and asked, "What am I doing with myself?"

Only then did it seem that Starreign had forgiven her for turning on Sagewhisker. When darkness fell, Yellowfang fell into a troubled sleep. There were nails clawing at her skin, fingers pulling at her hair, hands squeezing, pulling, ripping…

It was only when a heavy, familiar scent washed over her that she woke up.

 _A pale ginger tom sat in front of her, a tender look in his eyes. Yellowfang stared blearily at him before rising to her feet and shaking fallen leaves off of her pelt. "Father," she croaked, seating herself and wrapping her tail around her paws._

" _Yellowfang." He cocked his head slightly to the right. "I'm sure you know why you can see me again," he murmured._

" _Because I've made a fool of myself?" She said dryly._

" _That could be one way of seeing it." He thumped his tail on the pebbles. "Another way would be to say you've learned." Yellowfang bristled at the thought of the past week and a half as a sort of wicked punishment from Starreign, but her father's amber eyes pinned her in place. "Yellowfang, what do you think Cinderpelt would be like if she never broke her leg?"_

" _You mean, what she would be like if_ Starreign _never broke her leg?" Yellowfang's defiant streak weakened under her father's stern eye. "She would be happy. She'd be outgoing, and she'd spend all her time outside…"_

" _Well, that's what she'd be doing," Brackenfoot said. "But what would she_ like _? What would her personality be like?"_

 _Yellowfang's eyes narrowed. "She'd be the same," she said slowly. "Why would she change?"_

" _That's not the question you should be asking," he murmured. "The question you should ask is, 'why wouldn't she change?'" At Yellowfang's wary look, he continued. "The Cinderpelt you knew had already lost her leg to the monsters that roam the thunderpaths. The Cinderpelt you knew was already trying to cope with her loss and was trying to find ways around it. The Cinderpelt you knew began to understand how delicate life was and began to treasure it more and more with every day. Do you think Cinderpelt would be the same if she hadn't lost her leg?"_

" _Of course she would," Yellowfang snorted. "Her personality wouldn't change on a whim like that."_

" _Losing her leg wasn't a whim, Yellowfang," Brackenfoot said slowly. "Losing her leg shaped her into the person you care about so much. If she had never lost her leg, I doubt she would treasure life as much as she does now, and I doubt she would find alternatives to what she already knows. When one door is locked, another unlocks. You just have to learn how to turn the new knob._

" _Cinderpelt became the person you know and love because she spent most, if not all, of her days with you and Firestar. If Cinderpelt had never been injured…she would've likely gone back with her brother and sister to Larixmin and live far beyond your reach." Brackenfur leaned forward and pressed his forehead against her cheek. "I promise you that Starreign had no intention of punishing Cinderpelt when they broke her leg. Starreign is pushing her into a brighter future, and the only reason why we don't think it's bright is because we're too far away to see the light." He blinked down at her, meeting the same shade of gold eyes. "Starreign always means well to those who deserve it."_

" _So Starreign meant well when they killed off Spottedleaf?" Yellowfang asked dryly._

" _Ah—I suppose there's an exception to everything," Brackenfoot sighed. "Sagewhisker was right—this Council is petty. But the truth is that Cinderpelt has already been given a second chance in life. This is, what you can say, a second try at finding happiness while being a doctor." He nudged her head fondly with his. "Spend your time with Cinderpelt wisely," he murmured. "Teach her everything you have come to know and open your heart to her. She is still the same Cinderpelt you loved in the forest, only in a taller, more twolegged form."_

#######################################################

Yellowfang never reconciled with Sagewhisker after their falling out. It was something she regretted, all the way up to the moment she realized she was dying. As smoke filled her lungs and her vision blurred with tears, she was suddenly struck with an unexpected sorrow: she would never be able to see Leafpool with her own eyes. It was a strange and unprecedented misery that engulfed her—she had never imagined that she would want to see the girl who _needed_ Cinderpelt to be crippled.

She had avoided the House of Zephyra for at least five years now, opting out of gatherings and celebrations in order to stay away from Leafpool. She had always told herself that she would go next year and meet Starreign's chosen prodigy then, but it seemed that she had waited too long and Starreign had become impatient.

Cinderpelt would never have left Larixmin if she never broke her leg. Cinderpelt never would have left Herobexy if Yellowfang didn't die. Cinderpelt would never train Leafpool to become the doctor she was destined to be if Yellowfang didn't die. Yellowfang was merely a pawn in the grand scheme of things, in a great war that no one seemed to be aware of until Tigerstar somehow possessed the mind of a poverty-stricken Emperian and dragged three lives to the grave.

But that would not be clear until much later, and as she lay in the burning Herobexy manor, Yellowfang realized that she was satisfied with Starreign's decision. It was cruel of them to sacrifice so many for the sake of one, but that one could save the lives of others, who would then move on to save more, and the chain of reactions would continue for the rest of eternity. Both Sagewhisker's and Brackenfoot's words had rang true with Cinderpelt—the blue-eyed teenager would be a catalyst for greatness, and she would teach one of the most prodigious doctors to be…

And with that last thought, Yellowfang left the physical world and waited for her hopes to come true.


End file.
